The Cries of Haruhi Suzumiya: Tsukuribanashi-hen
Chapter Two: Shadows
I once met a man
who said he was from the future.
I asked him if he knew how I would die.
He said he didn't know. I decided to believe him.
I asked him if he knew what would happen tomorrow.
He said he didn't know. I tried to believe him.
I asked him if he was a liar.
He said he didn't know. I wanted to believe him.
-Fredrica Bernkastel
Another evening, another session on the phone.
I half-expected some raspy voice saying "Seven days..." when I picked up the phone, but the call that I made wasn't particularly freaky.
The call that I made was to Asahina-san. Or rather, Rena's house, where Asahina-san was staying. I wanted to see how Asahina-san was holding up.
Fortunately, there's no chance of me being answered by Rena, seeing as I almost ran into her less than fifteen minutes ago, and I'm riding on a bike.
"Hello?"
Of course, she could also be able to teleport or some other unfairness like that. And she beat Keiichi back here. But you can take my word when I say that I didn't scream or drop the phone.
"Oh, I'm sorry for scaring you, Kyon-kun."
"What, just now, or back there?"
"Both. I'm sorry, but when I saw the look on your face, I just wanted to scare you even more. I guess you could call it repayment for what you did to Satoko-san."
Fine, yes, I deserved that. That doesn't explain the cleaver thing.
"Oh, that? It's for getting treasure out."
"I... see... so, is Asahina-san there?" I asked.
"Mikuru-chan? Oh, she's not here."
"Where is she?"
"Well, we crossed as I came in. She was really panicking. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me it was classified information. What was she talking about? I wonder, I wonder..."
I'm going to bet that Koizumi called her.
"So, sorry for wasting your time." I said.
"Oh, it's fine. I really enjoyed talking with you. Have fun at the doctor's tomorrow."
And she hung up.
I hung up as well, went to the couch, then got up and got something from the fridge before it hit me.
She knew I was going to the doctor's office.
Okay, Kyon, don't freak out. Wait, I just referred to myself as Kyon. I think I'm going mad. Anyway, she probably had ran into Tomitake or something. There's no way that she could have seen the meeting.
Fortunately for my sanity, Keiichi had returned at that moment. Turns out, that's exactly what had happened. Huzzah.
As I walked into town the next day, it occurred to me that I should probably invest in a map. But at least I'm not going to crash into anything, so that's nice.
But then, there was a sound like a footstep behind me.
I stopped and turned around. Nothing.
I kept walking, but I swore that I heard a (not-Hanyuu) female voice in the background.
And there's another footstep. Again with the nothing behind me.
Okay, if this is Rena, I don't care how nice she is, she's getting punched in the gut.
I took a few more steps before I heard more footsteps. These sounded much more like the sound of someone running up to-
"KYON!"
-tackle me. Oww... goddamnit, Haruhi, I was doing fine without having to be so close to you.
So, may I ask why you are tackling me this fine morning?
"I dunno. I saw you walking along the path and I felt compelled."
Can't you go and hang out with Mion or something?
"I'm going for a walk with Mion right now, dummy. We're heading to the store."
Mion ran up to me and pulled Haruhi off.
"So, where are you off to, Kyon?" said Mion.
"Oh, just heading down to the clinic. I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Know where it is?"
"You're on the right path. Just keep heading that way."
I got up and dusted myself off.
"So, are you having fun with your roommate?" I asked Haruhi.
"Yeah, her house is awesome! The Sonozakis are loaded! And I'm only allowed in a few rooms in one area of the house, so there has to be way more that I can't go to! There's probably secret compartments containing family artifacts, or a mass Sonozaki graveyard, or a torture chamber, or maybe there's the undead matriarch living somewhere inside the bowels of the estate! There's just not enough time to see it all."
You do realize that you're literally leaning on a Sonozaki, right? Even if you botch a roll on your Perception check, you should notice that at a minimum.
"So, what are her parents like?" I said.
"They don't live in this estate. I haven't actually seen any adults inside."
"How?"
"Oh, Mion gets me food and such, and we've spent most of the time either snooping around or out. I think her grandma might live in there, but she hasn't let me meet her."
"Actually," said Mion, "I'd say it's the other way around."
"Yeah, I heard that the matriarch is a bit, well, xenophobic." I said.
"Haha, yeah, that'd be oni-baba in a nutshell." said Mion.
"Oni-baba?" said Haruhi. "Huh, with a nickname like that, maybe I don't want to meet her after all..."
"Sounds like a great idea. Well, see you, Kyon!" said Mion.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow!"
Mion and Haruhi walked off, towing each other, leaving me to myself.
You know, I was actually expecting Mion to say some sort of disturbing line or some sort of scare, but I guess there's nothing of the sort going on. As I walked to the clinic, the only sounds were of my footsteps, and the cries of the higurashi.
The clinic looked... like a clinic. It wasn't boring, it just had an impeccable air of clinic about it. I think I might have seen this building used in stock footage, and if I haven't, I'd recommend it for this purpose.
I entered the clinic, and the interior was just as clinical as the exterior. I walked up to the receptionist.
"Can I help you?" she said.
"Yeah, I'm looking for a blonde nurse. Is there one here?"
The receptionist looked me up and down.
"Don't bother. She has a boyfriend already."
"No, that's not it, I have a note for her from Tomitake-san."
"Oh. I guess I can summon Takano-san for you. She should be here shortly."
Shortly was about fifteen seconds. Tomitake wasn't off in his description in the least. "Takano-san" was very much a blonde, a platinum blonde, not like Satoko's dandelion-blonde hair. And she was very much a nurse, wearing such a fanservice-laden outfit (which, if I must say so, she wore quite well) that I questioned the reality of the clinic and if I hadn't just fallen into a set of a TV show. She had droopy (for lack of a better word) golden eyes, and when she smiled at me, it was instantly familiar. Gentlemen, I think I might have found Koizumi's ancestor.
"You have a note for me?"
I handed the note to her. As she read it, first she frowned, then she pocketed the note and smiled at me.
"You and Tomitake-san must have got along very well if he wants you to have this. Come with me, please."
She led me into the clinic and into a rather featureless room. She handed me a few medical forms.
"Fill these out, please. I'm going to have to take a sample from your lymph nodes. To determine the dosage, that is."
"Alright, sure."
She left, and I got to work filling out the forms. I decided to answer them honestly, with the exception of my parent's contact information. My parents, who would probably be around my age at this point in time, would probably go into shock if they got a call from a doctor's office in the middle of nowhere telling them that their son got injured. The nurse might be confused, but I'll feel better about it.
After a bit, Takano returned with a syringe. She pulled the fluid from my neck (without any anesthetic short of rubbing alcohol. By the way, my body screamed in pain). As she was looking over the papers, she laughed.
Oh, dear god, that laugh is the stuff of nightmares. It's not scary, really (I'd describe it as a mix between condescending and amused), but I remember hearing it in my nightmares.
"That's odd..."
She pulled out a pencil, erased part of the information that I put down and wrote something else in. She was out the door before I could comment on what was probably fraud.
After a few minutes, she came back in, accompanied with a doctor. He had straight brown hair, glasses, and he looked a lot younger than she did. You know, I may be reaching, but I think that these two are Koizumi's parents at a much younger age.
The doctor started barraging me with questions about my relationship with Hinamizawa (just got here yesterday, never been here before in my life, never known anyone from Hinamizawa, no parents or friends from Hinamizawa, et cetera), my medical history, and all the while he was inspecting pretty much every inch of me. He might have snuck in a darker question, but I wasn't paying attention, I was just answering stuff.
"Fascinating... absolutely fascinating..."
"Can I still get what Tomitake wanted me to have?"
Takano and the doctor gave each other glances.
"Sure." said Takano. "We'll be right back."
They left, but they didn't go far, judging by the footsteps. I put my ear to the wall. Here's what I picked up from the conversation, starting with what Takano said and alternating with the doctor's lines.
"...right, he has... ...level..."
"...not from here... sudden..."
"...let it run... see what ha..."
"...not ethical... mur... suspicious..."
"...never suspect... saline..."
And then the conversation got too quiet to hear. Eventually, they came back. Takano had a syringe with a clear liquid in it.
"Here you go. Just what the doctor ordered."
Well, if that's the case, then why does the doctor have that expression? I recognize it. I've made it way too often when I'm dealing with Haruhi's dumb plots.
Before I could make any sort of comment, she was already swabbing my neck and sticking the needle into the exact same spot where she drew the fluid.
"There you go. Have a nice day." said Takano.
"Don't I need to pay for this?" I said.
She chuckled again.
"It's on the house. A present from Tomitake-san to you."
"Uhh... thanks."
I exited the room. However, I didn't exit the hallway. I hung back to try and pick up more of their conversation.
"...truly a marvel." said the doctor.
"Indeed. If it goes up at the rate it has..." Takano chuckled.
"That'd be... oh. That's..."
And Takano chuckled again.
"Oyashiro-sama is going to be very pleased. Very pleased indeed..."
I had heard enough. That was when I started heading out the door and back to Keiichi's place. Ugh, if I ever see Takano again, it'll be too soon.
The next couple of days were relatively idyllic. Hinamizawa was going all out in trying to seem as friendly and non-fatal as possible.
However, as much as it would have been appreciated, what we did wasn't nearly as idyllic.
In fact, Haruhi had indeed brought the SOS Brigade on the road in more ways than taking us here, and she actually might be trying to overload Hinamizawa with fun. After I had gone to the doctor's, we had headed down to a junkyard to look for treasure. The seven of us working in tandem (and by that, I mean mainly Nagato and Haruhi, with the rest of us barely hanging on) managed to extract a statue of what Rena called "Kenta-kun". I haven't heard of him either. I'm going to guess that he's some alternate company equivalent to Colonel Sanders. Anyway, Rena was ecstatic, and Haruhi declared the day to be a rousing success.
The day after that, Rika had given us a full, proper tour of Hinamizawa. Hopefully, after this, I won't be getting lost anymore. The area near the Furude shrine was abuzz with activity, metamorphosizing from a solemn shrine to a festival zone. Haruhi was bristling with anticipation, and she wasn't alone. Hanging out with all of the people I've met in a festival which was guaranteed to have fun things to do sounded just peachy.
But, try as it may, you could see some shadows lurking if you looked hard enough.
Nagato was wavering. She was looking like she needed a good meal and a good night's rest. When we had sat down to look at one of the vistas of Hinamizawa, I noticed that she fidgeted a bit, wasn't perfectly still. There were a bunch of small changes that, while making her definitely seem worse off, made her seem a bit more human here and there. She was unfettered by the Integrated Thought Data Entity, and, if she was living with someone who could take care of her better than she took care of herself, she'd be a lot better off in Hinamizawa.
Asahina-san was still as beautiful as ever. She looked happy, and her smiles didn't ring hollow. But I'm thinking that she had already blazed through the five stages of grief like a Bluebird CN7, and had accepted that she was stuck here.
Koizumi had also seemed to be losing his touch. Despite the possibility of Haruhi ending the world getting removed from his plate, he wasn't relieved. My excellent people-reading skills tell me that the guy was sick with melancholy. Of course he hid it. He's Koizumi, he hides every emotion he has.
Not that he was 100% successful, though.
"Guys, what's wrong?" said Haruhi.
Our tour had come to a temporary stop over on what was by far the best vista in Hinamizawa. We were having a picnic. Rika had to goad Nagato into eating, and Koizumi wasn't hungry.
"I mean, it's the day before the festival! Why are you all so mopey?"
I for one am perfectly not sad in the least, thank you very much. I'm actually looking forward to the festival.
Asahina-san and Koizumi traded glances among themselves, Nagato, and me.
"Well... I admit, I'm a bit homesick." said Koizumi. "I think Asahina-san is, too. She misses her sister."
We could hook you up to a polygraph and use the needle for that to power an outboard motor, couldn't we?
Asahina-san nodded until she was mentioned as having a sister. Then she just looked confused.
"You have a sister, Mikuru?" said Haruhi, with equal parts disbelief and skepticism.
"Mhm. Asahina... Michiru, if I recall correctly." said Koizumi.
Were you even there? (Asahina Michiru wasn't real, by the way. Blame, as usual, time travel.)
"Sir, why are you putting your head in your hand like that?" said Rika, to me.
So I can't see how stupid the world is, that's why.
"Guys, if you're really that homesick, I'll just arrange for us to get home as quickly as we can. Say, the day after tomorrow sometime?" said Haruhi.
"And everything would be back to normal?" said Koizumi.
"Uhhh... yes? Why wouldn't it be? Hinamizawa hasn't infected us with anything, so we'll be fine."
I noticed Rika tense up slightly out of the corner of my eye.
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear." said Koizumi. He smiled, and it looked legitimate.
"Not to poke holes in the plan, but how would we get back?" I asked.
"Oh, you know, head back to Okinomiya, get a bus, the same way we got here."
"I'd like to see the bus tickets, alright?"
"Sure, once I get them."
"Um, sir..." said Rika.
"Yes?" said Haruhi.
"Staying here for another day would be a really bad idea, sir."
"But the festival is tomorrow."
"I know."
"So, you don't want us to be at the festival. Is that right?" I said.
Rika nodded.
"Why not? Of course we're going to go to the festival. Not going to the festival would be missing the point of going to Hinamizawa at all!" said Haruhi.
"But, sir... if you went to the festival, you could die."
"Oh? I heard from Tomitake that the curse only hunts people that had something to do with the dam." I said.
"Yeah, I think I read something like that." said Haruhi.
"That's not what I meant..." said Rika. "It's been said that 'you should fear the hammer of your neighbor more than the hammer of God'."
"Interesting quote." said Haruhi. "Although, here, at least, wouldn't it be the hammer of Oyashiro-sama?"
"Don't say that." said Rika.
"What? Hammer of Oyashiro-sama?"
"Yes."
"Alright, suit yourself."
"Anyway, what I mean, sir, is that you need to worry more about the people who live in Hinamizawa than about the curse."
"That's interesting." said Koizumi.
He stood up and stretched.
"We'll keep that in mind. Well, I suppose we shall see you tomorrow, then."
"Maybe, but I'd be dissapointed if I do." said Rika.
And so ends that day. Tomorrow is the festival. If all goes well (which it won't, trust me), we'll either have a great time or miss it entirely.
Of course we went to the festival. Haruhi was as steadfast in her desire to go as rings were to sticking around Polykrates.
Haruhi had wanted us to put on the kimonos that we had packed (yes, of course she made us bring kimonos). However, Rika had called and said that she was the only one that needed to dress up, so I ignored her.
However, that's not to say that clothing wasn't a sticking point, especially when Keiichi was getting dressed.
"No." I said.
"No what?" said Keiichi.
"You are not wearing that."
"That", in this case, was a reddish vest that was of some tailoring that I could not recognize. It was not the sort of thing that I'd wear in public, much less to a festival.
"Why not?"
"It looks stupid."
"C'mon, I've worn it before and nobody's mocked me yet."
"Well, maybe they're being nice."
"Well..."
It took him a few seconds to come back with a witty enough retort.
"Well, you don't know anything about contemporary fashion, time-traveler. Your opinion is invalid."
"I've done research and my parents grew up in this time. I know enough to know that that doesn't work. Besides, I'd only be confused if I went forward in time, which I haven't. Now, just wear a damn T-shirt or something. Those can't go out of style."
"My white one is dirty."
I got one of the T-shirts I had packed out of one of my bags and threw it at him. Grudgingly, he switched to it. It was (to the discomfort of us both) a perfect fit.
"So, how will we be meeting up with everyone?" I asked.
Keiichi shrugged. "I think we'll be meeting them when we get there."
We said goodbye to Keiichi's parents and headed out.
"So, what is this festival?"
"I don't really know. It's the cotton-drifting festival. There's a river that runs near the shrine complex, so I guess it'd have something to do with that. But, to be honest, I have no idea."
"Actually, it's where we take our old futons and such and tear them up." said Rena.
Rena, who was very much not behind us a second ago.
Rest assured, I didn't scream, I didn't jump, I didn't land on my ass, Keiichi didn't laugh at me, and I didn't make a fool out of myself in front of Asahina-san. That didn't happen. Alright? You have my word that it didn't.
"Sorry for scaring you again, Kyon-kun." said Rena.
"Yeah, that's a theme that's showing up, and I really don't like it."
I mean, for Pete's sake, announce your presence or something.
"I'm sorry. I thought you heard me coming."
"Well, I didn't, obviously."
Asahina-san held out a hand to me, and she pulled me up. She looked exactly as adorable as she always did, elegant and beautiful in her skirt and blouse. Rena and Keiichi had started going ahead, leaving me and her to talk.
"So, how are you holding up?" I asked her.
"Oh, about as well as you'd expect..."
"That badly, huh?"
"Well, emotionally, I've become stable. But after I talked with Koizumi-san, I realized that all of the classified information went away. I'm not forced to say "classified information", for one."
"Then why'd you just say it?"
"Because it's still classified information. But, the TPDD and a lot of other things are gone. I guess I should be thankful that they disappeared instead of being removed, because that could probably have... no, that's still classified information."
"So, it's like a void in your head."
"Well, no, because that would be fatal, probably. But it's sort of like that."
"Well, I assume that this means that your superiors can't tell what you do."
"They don't exist. Well, they didn't exist before, yet, but we've gone past the time-quake, so they can't reach us, and the monitors are gone, as well."
I don't know what Asahina-san thinks of it all, but I'd say that this is a very good thing.
"Well, in that case, that means that you can do what you please because they can't do anything about it, right?" I said.
I could tell when she realized the meaning behind what she said by when her cheeks suddenly matched the color of her hair.
"Ah! A-a-a-are you saying that we could, well, ah..."
Hauu... so damn adowable...
"Well, uh, technically, I'm not due for my first kiss until after I leave your-"
"So? They can't tell. Nothing wrong with making it so that something goes in a different direction than it would have."
"Th-that's not true! It's a really big violation of the-"
"Stuff that doesn't apply anymore?"
Asahina-san looked like she was about to speak, but she went quiet. We stopped.
"I... I actually have always wanted to have it be this way..."
She closed her eyes and leaned forward, lips puckered. Alright, screw the creepiness and us being hopelessly stuck in the past, Hinamizawa is awesome!
I did the same thing that she did, and-
Pop!
Scant centimeters from my first real kiss, I was knocked off-kilter and onto the ground by a large burst of pain on the side of my head.
Talk about a mood killer.
I think I heard Haruhi say "Nice shot!" but my head was still swimming from whatever hit me. As I regained coherence, I saw Mion and Haruhi. Mion had... a... gun? Was I shot? If I was, then I should be dead, or at least unconscious.
"Oh, this? It's an airsoft gun."
I see. How you haven't been arrested for having that is a mystery to us all.
"What the hell was that?" Haruhi was fuming. Literally; you could see the heat off of her head. "Were you two about to kiss?"
Despite how this looks, this is a good thing. If Haruhi's this angry, then she isn't truly mad.
Asahina-san, however, going by her reaction, didn't know this. She mewed, sputtered, turned a nice shade of red, and fainted on the spot.
"Kyon, you are in so much trouble! Romance between Brigade members is absolutely forbidden!"
Why? I don't see any good reason for there to be.
"So it doesn't go all pumpkin-shaped, that's why!"
Pumpkins, while a fruit, are not pears. Get your fruit-based idioms right, Haruhi.
"It's an anime reference. You really should broaden your reference pools."
Oh, irony, thy name is Haruhi.
I started to walk past her, but I was grabbed before I could brush her off.
"Oh no you don't! You are absolutely forbidden from going to the festival. That is FINAL!"
"Why?"
"That's your penalty."
I'd hate to see what you'd do to me if I managed to actually kiss her.
"So, what am I supposed to do?" I asked.
"Not go to the festival! Duh! C'mon, Mion, let's go have some fun."
She helped the recovering Asahina-san to her feet, and the three of them walked off.
So, I've been forbidden from going to the event that we specifically went to Hinamizawa to go see. So, now what?
Regardless, I waited a bit, then I continued down the same path.
The shrine complex was huge, packed to the brim with stalls and people. You know, it probably wouldn't be too hard to merely slip inside and hang out without Haruhi noticing. But what would I do, hang out by myself? Haruhi's like an amoeba, oozing about and absorbing anyone who'd I'd know or want to hang out with into her own group. It doesn't sound that fun.
Regardless, I went into the festival complex, bought some fried octopus balls, barely managed to dodge Haruhi's roving eye, and escaped. I went left from the original vantage point and started walking and thinking.
And there it was.
A single footstep. It wasn't my own; couldn't have been, it was out of sync. But that was definetely the sound of a (bare?) foot on old stone path.
I turned to face it. There was nothing but the wind and the leaves.
Alright, there better be a good explanation for this. Maybe... maybe I'm being trailed by some sort of spirit?
You...
Ah, so that's the case.
You're still here...
I thought I asked Rika to make you stop stalking me.
I'm not.
Then what are you doing?
I'm checking on somebody else.
Oh? And who is that?
That question went unanswered. But I felt that I was walking alongside her as we chatted.
Why aren't you at the festival?
Off in the distance, I could hear a ceremonial drum boom.
"Well, Haruhi said that I wasn't allowed to attend."
Rika thinks you left.
Really?
Yes... she's happy about that.
I thought she had a fondness for me. Guess all that was an act, like her normal act is.
No, no, no. That's why she's happy. She thought you managed to escape.
Escape... what? The curse?
Something like that...
I felt like I was walking alongside someone to a certain spot. I don't know what Hanyuu does, so I don't know if it was actual walking.
So, I have a question for you.
Okay.
What are you?
That question wasn't answered. She was silent until we happened on something a bit more important.
It was a building, not like a shed, but not as large as the school. It was built like the older buildings in town. Judging by our (assumed) proximity to the shrine complex, I'd assume that it's religous. It wouldn't have caught my interest - and indeed, it didn't, until we came around to the front of the building. There, the unusual factor was the lock on the door - and Tomitake trying to pick it. Takano was alternating between keeping watch and watching him pick it.
So, this is what you were heading to, I take it.
Yes...
I decided to do something to scare the two. I picked up a rock and threw it.
Either I have horrible luck, really good luck, an abysmal arm, or a spirit guiding my throws, because the stone didn't act at all like I wanted it to.
What I wanted it to do was go far, into the bushes on the other side of them from me. What it did was hit the lock directly. It sparked. Tomitake and Takano both jumped, and looked in my direction. It looked from here that Tomitake may have been pulling out a gun.
After a few tense seconds, the started laughing.
"Well, well, well." said Takano, "Kyon-kun, it's good to see you again."
My cover being blown, I got out of the bushes and headed up towards them.
Tomitake looked embarassed, hand behind head and everything. Takano was still smiling at me in that creepy smug way that she always does. She picked up the rock.
"Is this yours?"
"Yeah, I was just trying to scare you. I missed what I was aiming at."
They laughed.
"Well, that was a heck of a miss, then." said Tomitake.
"So, what is this?"
They traded glances.
"This shed... contains the secrets of Hinamizawa's past." said Takano.
Really now. Let me guess. It contains dead bodies or torture equipment or something like that.
Again, they traded glances. Then they stepped away and whispered to each other for a while. That ended with another of Takano's creepy, stuff-of-nightmares laughs.
Tomitake went back to picking the lock, and in no time at all, it unlocked.
"Well, we shall see, then." said Takano.
As Tomitake opened the door, I got the feeling that darkness was flooding out instead of the light flooding in, and that there was a good reason for that lock to be there.
Run... while you still can.
As light flooded in, the walls were revealed to contain, yes, torture equipment. No dead bodies, though. I think.
The walls of the shrine were lined with various very sharp implements. A more idealistic person would have called them carpentry equipment or farmer's tools, but idealism ain't my thing.
And in the center of it all, a large, dominating, slightly cracked statue.
"The Saiguiden..." said Tomitake. "Amazing."
Takano was looking at it with more intensity than she had been looking at Tomitake.
"Well, this is quite interesting," I said, "but I gotta run. Haruhi's waiting for me up at the festival complex."
I saw Takano nod. She chuckled again.
As I started leaving, I felt someone or something grab onto the back of my shirt. I was pulled back into the Saiguiden like I was being claimed for hell. I was sent sprawling into the statue of Oyashiro-sama, thankfully not cracking it. The doors slammed shut, and I was surrounded in complete and total darkness.
Alright, get the grue jokes out of your system. At the moment, I was more worried about having my throat slit.
After way, way too long, a match was lit. Now, all that could be seen were Takano's eyes. I'll have the darkness back, thank you.
One got the sense that the Saiguiden was both cramped and enormous beyond comprehension. The was enough space for me, Takano, and Tomitake, and that was it. Leaving sounded like the best thing in the world, but I honestly saw no door.
"Isn't it wonderful?"
Takano had an expression that was... creepy. A mix of awe, love, and maladiction.
My retinas were roasted by a bright flash of lught. Tomitake was taking pictures.
"Uh, yeah, very... interesting."
Takano lit a lamp. The flickering lights made the Saiguiden into the perfect place to tell ghost stories.
"It is, isn't it. Do you know who this is?"
She gestured to the statue.
"That's... Oyashiro-sama, correct?" I said.
I have no idea.
"Very good. Now, it seems like it would be a good time for you to learn more about him."
"Honestly, I don't care. If you knew anything about the curse, that would be more interesting."
"The curse? Fufufufufu... well, it started about five-"
"I already know about what it is. Tomitake told me. And if you're trying to make me think that I could be next, Tomitake said that only people who were connected with the dam thing are targets."
"Oh? Is this true, Jirou-san?"
"Well, uh..." said Tomitake.
"See, Kyon-kun... do you believe in Santa Claus?"
Oh, don't even get me started.
"Well, do you think he exists?"
"No, he's just a man in a suit. Either that, or your parents or some metaphysical concept."
"Yes, very good. What about God?"
No comment.
"Well, think of it this way. Let's say that you have a Shinto priest, a rabbi, and a Hindi pandit. Who is right?"
Is the answer D: None of the above?
"You see... they all think that they worship the real god. But if they all think that, then nobody is right."
She leaned up against me. Ugh, don't you have a boyfriend over there?
"Gods don't exist, Kyon-kun. Neither do spirits. Or curses. A curse only exists if people want it to exist. Or if they want people to think it exists."
I heard the drumming stop. Alright, festival's over, can I go now?
"Of course, you seem like the sort of person who wouldn't believe in any of the supernatural."
Alright, enough. I can see the door. I'm leaving.
And I tried, but Tomitake was in the way. When I stopped, Takano laughed again. Look, I'm aware of having respect for your elders, but I really would like to smack you.
"Miyo-san," said Tomitake, looking a bit nervous, "just let the kid go. We shouldn't force him into this."
Into what?
"Jirou-san," said Takano, going up to him and wearing a slightly different smile, "why should I? If he leaves, he could tell someone that we were in here."
Oh, as opposed to me not telling anyone if I'm kept in a creepy and probably forbidden building against my will. Yes, truly, Takano, your logic is infallible.
Takano chuckled again and nodded. Tomitake stepped aside.
There being absolutely no reason for me to stick around, I bolted from the Saiguiden and I didn't look back.
Alright, I feel awful now. I'm getting the sense that even being near the Saiguiden is going to bite me on the ass.
I think I'm going to go head down to the river. That's the second part of the festival, if I recall correctly. And Haruhi didn't forbid me from that, did she now?
Only problem is, I'm lost. I think I followed Hanyuu here, and it's darker now, so... crap.
Hm, I wonder what the festival was like...
"It was certainly an interesting performance. I certainly haven't seen anything of the sort before."
I turned around. There was Koizumim leaning against a tree a few meters behind me.
"Where did you come from?" I asked, aggravated by his creepiness that I really should expect from him at this point.
"From the festival, of course."
Oh, that's very helpful.
"And besides, I've always wanted to make a stealthy entrance. Anyway, where have you been? I didn't see you at the festival."
"I was forbidden."
"Right, yes, Suzumiya-san did mention that. Why?"
"I almost kissed Asahina-san."
He didn't have any drink to do a spit-take with (a crying shame), but he did end up walking face-first into a tree, colliding with a resonating thunk. Coincidentally, the amount of time that it took for him to peel his face away from the bark was the same amount of time that it took for me to stop laughing.
"Well," said Koizumi, still shell-shocked, "you certainly seized the day, didn't you."
That I did.
"So, what were you up to?" he asked.
"Oh, I ran into Tomitake and Takano. The forced me into this building called the Saiguiden."
"Oh? Saiguiden, Saiguiden... I vaguely remember that being mentioned. Can't remember the context, though."
"Well, I'm heading home. Don't tell Furude-san that I've been in there. In fact, don't tell her that I'm still around at all."
"Oh? Why?"
"A little birdy told me that she's happier that I am 'gone'."
"Well, in that case, see you later."
And as the sun finishes setting on this festival, and as I head back, so sets the sun on the last of the bright days.
It turns out that Rika was right, as much as I'd hate to admit it. The happy days ran out. I can earnestly say that every day after today sucked.
Tomorrow was when the cord would be pulled, the trap door would open, and I would tumble into the void.
As usual, I had nightmares. These were of running down dark forest trails, being chased by men with guns. Surprisingly mundane, considering what I've been through.
Today was going to be a day where I did absolutely nothing. I loafed, watching baseball games that I vaguely remembered the results of (oh, if only I brought an almanac...) and "contemporary" shows that I've seen many times. I figured that I'd do that until Haruhi called me, telling me to pack my bags and go.
She didn't.
At about three in the afternoon, Keiichi's mom came in.
"Kyon, you have someone who wants to talk to you."
"You sure that it isn't for Keiichi?"
"He referred to you by name."
Oh. Well, I guess Koizumi's come calling then.
I turned off the TV, managed to eventually get off the couch, and ambled to the door. I opened it.
Okay, that's very much not Koizumi.
The man that was standing in front of me was old, large, and smiling. He was wearing a black shirt with red suspenders. I don't know if I can trust him, but if he's come calling for me, I'm guessing not.
"Good afternoon!" said the man. He had an accent. Not sure from where, but it was an accent.
"Uh, hi."
"Nice day, isn't it?"
"Uh, I guess so. What do you want?"
"Name's Ooishi. I have a few questions for you. Assuming that you're Kyon, of course."
"Yes, I'm Kyon, and why should I answer your questions?"
"Well, there's-"
Ooishi looked down, and chuckled. That was the second creepiest laugh I've heard. Something like "nh-fu-fu-fu-fu".
"Oh, I forgot to put this on. My mistake."
He pulled out a policeman's badge and attached it to his lapel.
"Oh." I said. So now I have a cop inquiring after me?
"Anyway, would you mind coming out to my car to talk, would you?"
Police officer or not, that sounds damn creepy.
"Well, I need to talk to you regardless, so we could either talk with me in the car, or we can talk out here."
It's blistering hot, there's no breeze, and there's not a cloud in the sky. Can't we talk inside?
"I need to talk to you alone, so it's one of the other."
"...you have air conditioning, right?"
He laughed again.
"I do. Go on in. It's unlocked."
I entered the back seat of the car. He entered the driver's seat and lit a cigarette.
"So, I understand that you aren't from here, correct?"
"Yeah, I'm from-" and again, I'm censoring my town name.
"Interesting. You wouldn't mind giving me your parent's phone number, would you? Just in case."
"Well, I can't. My parents and I... well, to them, I don't exist."
"Ah, estranged, huh."
"Oh, you have no idea."
"So, you don't have any family or friends that live in Hinamizawa, right?"
"Not really."
"Interesting... and yet you're right in the thick of it. So to speak."
"Uh, you mean that I'm connected to powerful people in Hinamizawa, correct? As in the other teens."
"Yeah, something along those lines."
"You're asking the wrong guy. I live way out here, and they don't particularly care for me. Go ask Koizumi, he lives with Furude-san and Hojo-san."
"Well, I'm asking you. Do you know this man?"
He passed back a picture.
"That's Tomitake Jirou. He's a photographer. We ran into each other before."
"Ah. Well, as of last night, he's dead."
I felt my breath vanish, my heart race, and my eyes widen.
"D... dead?"
"That's correct. We found his body not far from Hinamizawa. It was pretty gruesome."
"How'd he die?"
"He tore his throat out with his bare hands."
Oh god.
"So... it was some sort of suicide?" I asked.
"Well, yes and no. He did kill himself, but it's something like if you were forced to put a gun to your head and pull the trigger. There's evidence that he was injected with a drug that made him do that."
"A drug... that makes you tear out your throat."
"Well, the doctor recognized the cause of death as being from that drug."
"..."
I'm not really surprised. If you have spirits and strange children roaming around, freak super-drugs can exist, too.
I handed the picture back.
"The villagers are saying that he was taken by Oyashiro-sama's curse." said Ooishi.
I thought back to what Takano had said: A curse only exists if people want it to exist. Or if they want people to think it exists.
I handed the photograph back.
"Alright. So, do you recognize this person?" said Ooishi. He passed back another photo.
"Takano Miyo. She's a nurse at the clinic."
"Right. She is also dead."
"No way!"
Actually, while the fact that she died along with Tomitake is unnerving, her actually being dead isn't a bad thing.
"Unfortunately, that is the case."
"So, were the deaths connected? I saw them in the same area at the festival."
"No. She was found incinerated inside a barrel in the mountains a good distance from Hinamizawa. Although we're not a hundred percent sure it's her. Nh-fu-fu..."
"And, let me guess. The other villagers are saying that it's Oyashiro-sama's curse."
"That they are. From what I've heard, both of them vandalized the Saiguiden."
"Vandalized the Saiguiden? Like... broke in?"
"I wasn't there, so I can't say what happened. But they did break in, so you're right, there."
"So, why did you want me?"
"I'm not one for curses, and even if I was, this doesn't match up with Oyashiro-sama's curse, seeing as they're both dead. I think that this might have to do with the Sonozaki family. But, I'm not really liked in town, so I can't really do anything. That's where you come in."
"You want me to be a mole."
"Well, no... just report any overtly suspicious things that you see to me, alright?"
"But, I'm just... around. Can't you ask Rena or someone else?"
"Nh-fu-fu, funny you mention that. Ryuugu Rena, right?"
I nodded.
"From what I've heard, she's had her own... interesting... experiences with Oyashiro-sama. So I've heard, at least."
He looked at his watch.
"Oh, is that the time? I suppose now, I have to go."
"Go where?"
"Well, I've heard talk that the 'SOS Brigade' is meeting with the Sonozaki family, and they aren't happy with them. Of course, I doubt you've heard of the SOS Brigade."
"I-I have! I'm one of the members!"
"Oh? Nahahahaha! Well, I suppose that you should come with me, then. You need a ride to your trial, after all."
"Trial?"
So, this is what was going on.
The SOS Brigade is being called before the three main families of Hinamizawa, and the Sonozaki family in particular. They shall dispense "judgement" on us there. I'm going to take it that Haruhi's pissed off someone that she shouldn't have pissed off.
The assembly hall was murmuring with anticipation as we drove up to it.
Ooishi dropped me off just as we came in sight of the assembly hall.
"You should walk in alone," he said. "There's other things I need to do, and besides, I'm not the most popular guy here. See you some other time."
He waved and drove away.
When I actually entered the assembly hall, I got the unpleasant, bizarre, and not completely unfounded feeling that everyone was staring at me.
People and associations had roughly divided the hall into two sections. On one side were people wearing traditional clothing, including a middle-aged woman who, judging by the hair, I presume is Mion's mother, men in suits, and, off to the side, Mion herself.
One the other were people dressed in more normal clothes. On this side were Rena, Satoko, Nagato, Asahina-san, and Haruhi.
You can probably infer on what side of the hall I sat one. Specifically, between Haruhi and Asahina-san.
Haruhi was bristling with anticipation. She looked strangely excited, despite us being put before a court which may or may not be marsupial.
"So, what did you this time?" I asked.
She turned to me. She was smirking.
"Hey, don't ask me. In fact, I'll ask you the same thing."
"Hey, I'm not the one staying in the same house as the village head."
"Well, I'm not the one that wasn't accounted on the festival night."
"That was your fault."
"Oh, no it wasn't!"
"Look, just... do one thing for me."
"What?"
"Don't say anything stupid. In fact, just, don't say anything. Unless asked to. And even then, don't say anything stupid."
She sighed and turned away.
"Fine."
Asahina-san was wide-eyed and she was trembling. I don't know if I've seen her this terrified. When I sat down, she latched onto my arm, and it took her a while to let go.
Eventually, the assembly hall filled to capacity before the meeting started. Koizumi and Keiichi arrived shortly after I did, as well as pretty much every adult I've met.
In fact, the only people that are not here that I've met are the ones that are dead, Ooishi, and Rika.
And then, with all the sudden force of a candle being snuffed, the room became silent. Three individuals entered the hall and took seats on mats on the other side of the room from us.
The one in the center was a very, very, very old woman. She looked like the textbook definition of a crone.
And then I saw her hollow, pinhole eyes. Yeah, I'm definitely not going to call her a crone to her face. She looked like she could get me lynched with a thought, and was definitely considering it.
The one on the right was an old man, tall, lanky and bald. I got the sense that he would be the straight man, and the leader, if the crone wasn't sucking in all the power in the room.
The one on the left was... Rika? She looked right at me, and she looked melancholic. Despair hung in the air around her.
I'm sorry... I really am.
I felt like bowing, so I did. Koizumi bowed as well. The girls, lacking a grasp on hospitality, didn't bow.
I noticed Haruhi lean back and ask someone behind her a question; "Who are these people?"
The old woman laughed. That sound was horrifying. I saw the old man lean over and whisper something to her.
"Kimiyoshi-san says that you should be forgiven for that remark, seeing as you are new here. I am Sonozaki Oryou, head of the Sonozaki family."
I heard Haruhi mutter "Called it.".
"These are Kimiyoshi-san and Furude-san, heads of their respective families. The three of us could be said to be the heads of Hinamizawa."
Rika, a head of Hinamizawa? That's... actually a stroke of luck. However, I'm guessing that Rika doesn't have much in the way of power, both because she's a little girl and it's pretty obvious who has the power in the room.
"Now, who are you?" said Sonozaki-sama. I'm going to call her that both to differentiate from the other Sonozaki members and because any bit of ass-kissing helps.
"Well, I am Koizumi Itsuki, and my colleagues are Nagato Yuki, Asahina Mikuru, Suzumiya Haruhi - our leader - and Kyon." said Koizumi.
Sonozaki-sama chuckled.
"'Kyon'? Don't you have a real name, boy?"
"Actually, I think that might actually be his name," said Asahina-san.
"Yeah, sounds about right," said Haruhi. Hey, you know my name, you're in my freaking class.
"Alright... Kyon." said Sonozaki-sama.
"May I ask a question?" I said.
"Very well." said Sonozaki-sama.
"Why are we here?"
She chuckled again.
"Certain... things, have happened here, since you've arrived. This is partially for us to see how you act, but it's mainly for us to pass judgement onto you."
"Why do we need judgement?"
"You have angered Oyashiro-sama."
Hey, that's not true.
"You mean, the SOS Brigade has?" said Haruhi.
"Fufufufufu... yes, yes they have. Now, I understand that you have been staying with some of the residents of Hinamizawa."
I looked over at Koizumi. Take the floor, so I don't risk misspeaking and then getting murdered.
"This is true. I have been personally staying with Furude-san and Hojo-san. Kyon over there has been staying with Maebara-san. Asahina-san has been staying with Ryuugu-san, and Suzumiya-san has been staying with Sonozaki-san."
The crowd started murmuring. Sonozaki-sama shushed them with a raised hand.
"You'll have to be more specific. The Sonozaki family is very widespread."
"Sonozaki Mion."
An even greater murmur started up, and was promptly shushed.
"I don't think I heard you correctly. Sonozaki Mion lives with me in my estate. Surely, an outsider like her wouldn't be living under my nose without my knowledge..."
She turned towards Mion, who was trying her damnedest to keep a stony expression, and was succeeding, with the exception of her eyes, which were showcasing her terror to the world.
"...right?"
There was a long silence before Mion answered.
"No, she has been staying here. She has just been avoiding you."
"For how long?"
"About a week, sir." said Rika.
"A week, in my own house... and I never even noticed."
Sonozaki-sama laughed. That was probably the scariest thing I've ever heard.
"Mion-san, I must congratulate you for your cunning. It takes talent to hide an unwelcome guest in my own home."
Unwelcome guest... oh, that doesn't bode well.
She turned back to Koizumi.
"But, living in the houses of your 'peers' isn't enough to save you. But, it also isn't enough to damn you by itself. That is not why Oyashiro-sama is angry.
I'm not angry...
"The Saiguiden was broken into."
I'm sorry...
There was another murmur. I saw Koizumi glance at me.
"Now, the Saiguiden is a very sacred place. The only person who can enter is Furude Rika. But three people have entered the Saiguiden who were not supposed to."
Sonozaki-sama gestured. Two of the men in suits brought forth objects.
One of them was a bloodstained camera. The other one was a green jacket.
"Did any of you five know Tomitake Jirou-san or Takano Miyo-san?"
I nodded out of reflex. Everyone else nodded as well.
"They have broken in, and they have paid for it."
"Paid for it? How?" asked Rena.
"They are dead," said Kimiyoshi-san. "We found their bodies last night."
There was a collective gasp.
Once again, they haven't changed the most important part.
"But... didn't you say that there were three people in the Saiguiden?" said Koizumi. If it wouldn't have been rude, he would have been smacked so hard he'd drop his smile.
"Indeed, Koizumi-san. And the third person... is in this room with you."
Suddenly, there was the distinct and painful feeling of boot slamming into my back.
No, please, don't!
I tumbled forward and landed in an awkward and painful position in the center of the assembly hall. The crowd shifted away from me as if they were darkness and I was a candle.
"There is the man who broke into the Saiguiden!" said Sonozaki-sama.
And the crowd was alight. And a lot of the talk I heard was angry, and directed at me.
I tried looking to my peers for solace. I didn't get any. Nagato didn't meet my gaze. Asahina-san refused to meet it, like I was covered in horrible burns or something. Koizumi looked like he was more shocked at everyone else's treatment of me than at me. I saw Haruhi mouth, "How could you?".
I then looked at Rika for solace. She looked ashamed, like I was her favorite dog and I just bit the mailman and I had to be put down. She saw my gaze and looked away.
No, please, I'm sorry, really! I'm really really sorry! I-I know I shouldn't have lied to you! I'm sorry. I'm sorry...
Haruhi rose to her feet. She looked like she was ready to punch Sonozaki-sama.
"That's a lie!" she shouted. "He wouldn't do that! I know him! He's not that much of an idiot!"
Rena and Koizumi pulled her back down. The mutual glare between Haruhi and Sonozaki Oryou felt strong enough that it would kill anyone in between it.
"I'm sorry, Suzumiya-san, but there is pretty good evidence that points to him being in the Saiguiden," said Kimiyoshi-san.
He produced a photograph from his sleeve. It was pretty big, the size of your average letter paper.
Showcased in it was a cage shaped like a human torso and legs, several other sharp objects, and, in profile facing left, the unmistakable silhouette of my head.
"This was found in Tomitake-san's camera. You cannot deny it, 'Kyon'," said Sonozaki-sama, giving a grin that would unease a shark, "you WERE in the Saiguiden."
Before I could say anything in my defense, I was kicked in the side again. That set the crowd off again. I'm not going to ask for your pity, but I'd appreciate it. Isn't this a trial? Don't I get an attorney, or at least a representative?
I felt a hand grab my arm and drag me out of the center. Whoever that was, thank you, especially since now my head is on Asahina-san's lap, which is the best pillow that ever existed.
"At least let him say something!" shouted Haruhi. "Don't force him to accept this! I'm sure that this is a misunderstanding or something."
Sonozaki-sama glared at Haruhi again. But, she was cut off before she could speak.
"You may speak, sir." said Rika.
"Yes, it's only fair to hear his side of the story," said Kimiyoshi-san, cutting off Sonozaki-sama again.
She glared at me. It was an expression that made me thankful that my family has no history of cardiac problems.
"Speak."
I sat up.
"I wasn't in there of my own free will. I caught them breaking in, and they forced me inside. They didn't let me leave. Hell, they probably set me up so I'd take the fall for them."
I realized that there weren't any murmurs. Everyone was looking at me.
"Look, I'm sorry. If I have sinned, I most definitely didn't do it deliberately."
The room was completely quiet. Even Hanyuu's sobs stopped.
It was broken by Rika rising to her feet.
"I forgive him. There's no reason for Oyashiro-sama to be mad at someone for something they were forced to do. In fact, Oyashiro-sama would be disappointed if you hated him for this."
I heard Sonozaki-sama mutter something under her breath. Something like, "Such naiveity..."
Rika bowed and say back down. I decided to shift back into Asahina-san's lap.
"Of course, there is another issue." said Kimiyoshi-san.
"Yes..." said Sonozaki-sama. "I have heard that you are trying to solve Oyashiro-sama's curse. Two people have died from it this year. That would mean that two people would have to disappear. The curse has never been this bad, until you have arrived."
She smirked. I can't find a single gesture from this woman that's not threatening or scary.
"Now, according to Furude-san, Oyashiro-sama can forgive you. But, it needs to be done in a proper ceremony."
"No, it doesn't-" said Rika, but she was cut off.
"It is simple enough, and it can be performed at the shrine with little preparation time. In fact, I think I could perform it in my own house, it's that simple. We would even arrange for you to be sent home afterwards."
In coffins, I'd guess. I notice, Sonozaki-sama, that there's a distinct void in your proposition as to whether we'd live or not.
Rika stood up.
"I have to go to the bathroom."
Oh no, you don't really, you want to speak to me, don't you.
She exited through the door I came in.
Auu...
"Well, can't we just leave and never come back?" I asked.
"Actually..."
The room went still as the doctor from the clinic stood up and cleared his throat.
"That would be a bad idea. I've read in Takano's notes that someone leaving Hinamizawa tends to end in them dying. Unless we-"
"That is true, yes." said Sonozaki-sama.
So, the way that I'm seeing this, there are three options for the SOS Brigade at the present time.
Option A: We go along with this 'ritual'. I'm guessing that it really means that one or more members of the SOS Brigade get sacrificed or ritually killed. Then, the rest of the SOS Brigade members (assuming we don't all get sacrificed) go home.
Option B: We escape or leave. But where would we go? If I went back to my home city, I'd probably run into my parents while they were my age, and (assuming there's no timely intervention from Doc Brown) I'd probably end up paradoxing myself out of existence somehow.
Option C: We stay in Hinamizawa. Seeing as Sonozaki probably wants us dead, and she stamped out my dignity just now, the odds of survival are really low.
So, I suppose we should leave this up to the judges.
On that note, Rika returned.
"I've made my decision, sir."
"And?" said Sonozaki-sama.
"They should leave as soon as they can."
"Fufufufu... but Irie-san just said that they would die if they left."
Rika went over to the doctor. They had a whispered yet energetic conversation.
"We can arrange so that that doesn't happen." said Rika.
"So, your decision still stands?"
"Yes. It would be best for them."
"I see... and what do you say, Kimiyoshi-san?"
"Well, ignoring anything that Rika and Irie-san do, if what Irie-san says is true, then there is no reason whatsoever to not send them away. If Oyashiro-sama wants their blood, he'll have it no matter where they go. And, if they go, they can't hurt us."
"Hmm... very well." said Sonozaki-sama. "I think I have a solution to this problem. You are obviously blessed with 'modern' sensibilities-"
Actually, four of us have, by your calendar, post-modern sensibilities. The other one has no sense whatsoever.
"-so I shall take a modern approach to my verdict. I am not familiar with law enforcement, but, it would be suspicious if five potential suspects left the day after two murders occurred. Until the murders of Tomitake-san and Takano-san are solved, you shall stay where you are."
What?
The crowd started murmuring again. I noticed that Rika looked like Sonozaki-sama gave us the death sentence. She wasn't moving. Her jaw was practically grafted to the ground, and the color was draining from her skin.
I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.
"In the mean time," said Sonozaki-sama, "you should treat our guests with the same hospitality that you have been treating them. This meeting means nothing."
She stood up.
"The meeting is over. You are dismissed."
Eventually, we stood up. Not that I was in any hurry to go, but the farther I can get from all these looks, the better.
"Did... did we win?" asked Asahina-san.
"Well, unless we get our throats slit in the middle of the night," something which I find quite plausible, "we'll live to see tomorrow."
"And then what?"
"Well... I don't know."
We started heading out. The people were giving me looks that ranged from loathing to pity.
"I'd say that that's at least a small success," said Haruhi. "I mean, we aren't dead, and I still get my chance to poke around the Sonozaki estate."
"You can't still want to do that," I said. "That's the parts with Sonozaki Oryou in it. Don't do anything to piss her off, okay?"
"No, she spared us. That means-"
"-that she's waiting for you to screw up again."
"But she didn't kill us now. Wouldn't you call that mercy?"
I'm sorry... I'm really sorry.
I stopped us.
"No. Hell no. She went contrary to what everyone else on the council wanted. There's probably a reason for that."
"Look, I'm sorry that we can't go. A decree is a decree. Hell, she'd probably hunt us down with dogs and murder us if we left. Assuming the curse didn't get us first."
I'm sorry.
We started walking again. Haruhi looked at Koizumi and frowned.
"Koizumi, smile, why don't ya. It's weird that you aren't."
She sighed and crossed her arms.
"Look, I can't just snap my fingers and make everything better. There's some things even your Brigade leader can't do."
I'm sorry.
Koizumi hesitated at the exit to the hall long enough to get out of Haruhi's line of sight.
"You should..." he said quietly.
I'm sorry.
Then he smiled and matched pace with Haruhi again. She started going on about everything else we could do and explore.
I was cut off by the group by a light hand grasping my arm.
It was Rika.
I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.
"Sir..."
I'm sorry.
I felt my course shift away from the rest of the people and onto a different path.
I'm sorry.
In contrast to the weeping Hanyuu, Rika was dead silent. She never made eye contact. Her expression was stony and unchanging.
I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.
"I screwed up, didn't I." I said.
I'm sorry.
She didn't respond.
I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.
I felt like she was disappointed with me. Like she had put me on a pedestal which Sonozaki Oryou smashed with a sledgehammer.
I'm sorry. I'm really really-
Stop saying that! It wasn't your fault. It was mine. Hell, it was probably Tomitake's and Takano's fault more than it was either of ours.
"It's not your fault," said Rika. There's that dark, creepy voice.
I'm sorry.
"Who were you talking to?" I asked.
Suddenly, the path opened up the the Furude Shrine. It was huge when viewed at this distance. Rika sat down on the steps of the shrine.
"You didn't leave," she said.
I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!
I joined her on the steps.
"I couldn't. I'm trapped here."
"Yes. Because of her. Because of Suzumiya-san."
"Well, no, because of Sonozaki-san. But that's also true, I guess."
Rika slumped and sighed.
"This happened last time."
For the next several minutes, all the sound there was was Hanyuu's sobbing.
"I assume that that time ended badly?" I said.
"It had to. There hasn't been a good ending in a hundred years."
She looked at me. There were tears in her eyes.
"I thought you had escaped. I thought you left. I was told that you had left."
I-I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I was only trying to help! I thought that would make you happy!
Rika gritted her teeth and looked away.
I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
"I was lied to by my best friend. And you're still here."
I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
"Look, people lie. That's a fact of life. Not to be the devil's advocate - metaphorically speaking, but it can't hurt to forgive her." I said.
"..."
"...oh, I see. You're not mad at her, are you."
"Me and Hanyuu could be said to be one and the same."
"So, you're mad at her, and at yourself, for, essentially, screwing me over."
"...yes."
"Well, I might as well try my hardest to live, for your sake."
She looked back at me. Tears aside, there was a slight hint of a smile in her eyes.
"Really?"
"Yeah, definitely. Got any tips for me?"
She blinked.
"I... I don't have any. Just remember that Oyashiro-sama is not a threat to you. It's the people in it. And... if you see your friends acting strangely, especially Suzumiya-san and Nagato-san... be careful. I remember them at their worst, and demons would have not dared to cross them."
She stood up.
"I forgive you for going into the Saiguiden. We both do."
It's my fault, not yours.
She pulled out an olive notebook.
"These are some of Takano-san's notes. I couldn't make any sense of them, but that's just me. I hope that you can help unravel this mystery. I think it's the only way for you - for all of us - to make it out of here alive."
I pocketed the notebook.
"Thank you. I'll do my best," I said.
She bowed.
"Goodbye, Kyon."
As she ran down the steps of the shrine, the way that she held out her arms and skipped down the steps made me remember that, in fact, I had been talking with a little girl.
As I got up, I felt a weird sensation around my shoulders, and the feeling of weight hanging from my back.
"I'm sorry," said Hanyuu.
The tingle and weight vanished, and I was alone on the shrine's steps. I started walking down the path and out of the shrine. The sun was just below the treeline, and the higurashi choir was out in full force. The roads of Hinamizawa were practically barren, and the SOS Brigade was nowhere in sight.
Eventually, I came across someone that I recognized; Rena. She was walking alone, and she (thankfully) had no weapon in hand. When I got closed, she turned to face me and she smiled.
"Oh, hello, Kyon-kun."
"Hey."
"It's too bad that you had to go on trial."
"That wasn't a trial, that was just me being humiliated in front of everyone."
"Well, I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"Thanks."
"I feel sorry for Tomitake-san and Takano-san, too. So sad, so sad."
"Yeah, I guess I'm lucky that I wasn't 'cursed'."
Rena spontaneously froze.
"You aren't lucky."
"Why not?"
"Because..."
She turned back and looked at me.
"Oyashiro-sama is very, very angry with you."
Oh, god, what the hell is up with her eyes? They were definitely not all slitted and dull a few seconds ago! That doesn't look human! Or even natural!
I couldn't formulate a response. The sudden change in attitude and pupil shape startled me past the point of language. All I could get out was a gasp.
"You are a bad spot, Kyon-kun. You are a stain on Hinamizawa." Her voice was devoid of all inflection. She sounded only barely less monotone than Nagato does, and at least Nagato has an excuse.
"L-look, Oyashiro-sama doesn't hate me, okay?"
"Oh?"
She chuckled.
"Who says that?"
"Rika does."
Rena laughed. Not a cackling evil one, but it was more than a chuckle.
"Rika doesn't know anything. She doesn't know what she's talking about. Or maybe she lies to Kyon? I wonder... I wonder..."
I decided to get the hell out of there.
"Where are you going?"
That phrase had the weight of a magic spell. I froze and turned towards her, not completely willingly. She walked towards me. Her steps had too much resonance for an average teenage girl.
"Oyashiro-sama doesn't like you. Rena doesn't like you, either. You don't even exist."
"What? That doesn't even make sense!"
"How can you exist if you haven't been born?"
Okay, what are you getting at?
"When were you born, Kyon-kun?"
"Uh, July 7th, 1968."
Not true at all. And not just because I'm lying like a dog; I actually said my correct day and month, but I'm using Tanabata now because I don't feel comfortable with you all knowing it.
She laughed. This laugh, on the other hand, is the cackling evil laugh.
"Why do you lie, Kyon? Oyashiro-sama hates liars..."
She caressed my neck. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up. The spots where she touched me tingled unpleasantly.
"You were born in 1994, weren't you? Isn't that how it all adds up?"
She leaned in close enough to me that I felt her hair on my forehead. As irrational as a fear of being eaten is, I'm pretty sure that demons are anthrophages, and that's what I'm guessing is right in front of me.
"Get out. You aren't welcome here."
I tried to take a step back, but I misjudged where I was stepping and I ended up falling on my ass.
"Well, it was nice seeing you again!"
And just like that, the normal sing-song voice and the human, round pupils were back so fast I could've gotten whiplash. The sudden contrast was enough to leave me practically dazed until she left in a completely ordinary way.
What the hell was that? Seriously, if someone could explain that, I'll try my hardest to find where you live and pay you. But... she knew where I was from. Or rather, when I was from. She knew that I was born years after this day was gone.
Keiichi, you bastard, I thought I could trust you.
But what was she, just then? Not Rena, that's for sure. It seemed, for all intensive purposes, like she was possessed. But that can't happen. Yes, I know that I'm one to talk, what with me knowing aliens and the like, but demons are both straight from religion and not one of Haruhi's big interests. There's no way they can exist.
Right?